Lane Limited Lane Limited Ready Rubbed

The burley is nutty with a light molasses and deeper cocoa taste. The Virginia is far in the background, and is sweet with some grassiness. The toppings amplify the cocoa much more than they do the molasses. Has little nicotine. Won't bite or get harsh. Burns slightly fast, even and cool with a smooth consistent flavor that lasts to the finish. Very few relights needed. No dottle, and hardly any moisture is left in the bowl. Has a very pleasant after taste. Is an all day smoke.

Comparing this to the original and the Sutliff ERR Match, I note a few differences. Sutliff's is more of a coarse cut. The original was a cube cut, and Lane’s version is small cut ribbon flakes, all of which will effect the blends’ respective burn rates. All have the same flavors, though I notice the molasses in Sutliff's is slightly less deeper in taste than the original. The molasses in Lane's does not have the same depth of flavor as the ERR. Lane states that they are using the original recipe, but after spending a few days smoking all three incarnations, my perception is that Lane’s has more cocoa and less molasses than the original does, which of course, lessens the effect of the molasses that was fairly prominent in ERR. It also has a little more PG than the original, but that mostly disappears by the half way point.

The Sutliff ERR Match is closer than the Lane version is to the original. It has less cocoa than the Lane product, with more molasses, and the Match could fool some smokers into thinking it was the original in a blind taste test, except for the cut of the tobacco. Lane’s version is in the ball park, though the much deeper cocoa notes would give it away even in a blind taste test. This blend reminds me more of Chatham Manor than it does Edgeworth Ready Rubbed. Because of the differences, it gets three stars, not four.

Edit: 1-22-2017: I have been smoking the Lane RR from a freshly opened tub this past week, and I see the cut has been changed. It's a little closer to the original than what I had smoked, which was from a tub I bought the first week of its release. Also, the molasses was as prominent as the chocolate, instead of playing second fiddle as in the earlier tub. Obviously, somebody at Lane paid attention to the criticism. As of now, I will say this version is much closer to the original. The only differences now is that the molasses in the original was a little deeper and took a little more of the lead than this Lane version. The very mild sharp note of the original, which I did not find in my first go-around is now present, though slightly less so than the original. Overall, this is now a better, more faithful copy of the original. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

My goodness, I have been enjoying pipesmoking for almost 60 years! In that time, I have found two great tobaccos, and experienced two crushing disappointments. The first great tobacco was Balkan Sobranie, prior to something happening to it in the 1970s. By the time it went off the market, not much was lost, and in its present iteration not much is gained. The second is Edgeworth--which never diminished in quality, never disappointed,...and then it was gone! I tried a slew of burley-based blends, some of which were quite good, but none was AS good. And now, it's back! Back, and exactly the same as it was, with a new name, and in a brilliant move, in the old familiar container. It's not considered a complex smoke, not subtle--but pay attention to it. Smoke it slowly and mindfully. It will never let you down.

I was one of several people that emailed Leo requesting that this blend be brought back so I am delighted to be able to review it. Leonard Wortzel brand manager for Lane has already solidified his name in the Pipe Tobacco legends book. Not since the great Herman Lane himself has a man listened to his customers like Leo has and his staff has really brought Lane Limited into the 21st Century instead of maintaining mediocrity which is much easier (and safer financially) than taking risks on new blends and re-releases. Bringing back Medal of Honor (Valor), New Captain Black blends (copper and dark), Edgeworth Ready Rubbed etc. the list goes on.. Anyways Leonard if you are reading this, we thank you so very much for listening to us, keep up the fantastic work!!! Great job sir!

LLRR brought back my fondest memories of having the blue and orange trim tub sitting on my lap and relishing in the aroma of very light old time topping mixed with delicious burley. Just scoop a cob or Grabow into the tub, tamp with your index finger, a false light, then real light, and you are on your way to a slow and rich smoke that will bring you back in time to a less hurried world. The room note I've been told is "Grandpa's Pipe" and "Pancakey" which in my house is compliments indeed, the flavor is nutty and has all the complexity only best burley mixtures can provide. Delightful, comforting and reliable. I am so glad I have my ERR back!! Truly the best of the OTC blends currently on the market, I can't wait to see what else Lane releases, they really are on top of their game and other manufacturers should take notes and learn from them...

I just received my 14 ounce tin of the reintroduced Edgeworth RR renamed as Lane Ltd RR. I still have half a 14 ounce tin of Lane's ERR which is about 10 years old. Other than the older tin's contents having a slightly darker presence from aging, Lane's reintroduction of this classic has hit all of the previous marks, smoking identical to its predecessor. However, it is not a true cube cut as stated by some. A very comforting and perhaps the best of the Codger Burleys out there. As I am primarily a Burley smoker, I'm very happy that it is back. At first opening there's a minimal presence of PG in the mix, but this usually fades after some time. Nothing new to add from my review of ERR that I posted a while back. Very well done, and as such I give it a 4 star review. I really enjoy Wessex Burley Slice and I find LLRR to be very similar, albeit milder. I usually prefer a stouter Burley such as the previously mentioned WBF, Solani's ABF, or the defunct Edgeworth Sliced...now that would be something I would look forward to being reintroduced...but LLRR is a very satisfying Burley smoke for me to add to my line up of preferred Burleys. Enjoy some!

Two of my favorite tobaccos were discontinued, and then they returned in all of their splendor. The first was Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture, and now Edgeworth Ready Rubbed (ERR) is back - albeit under the new name Lane Limited Ready Rubbed (LLRR). I understand that there were some legalities with the name ERR so Lane couldn't use it this time around, but it was a stroke of marketing genius to place the name LLRR on the same blue label that ERR used.

As for the blend itself, the cut is kindasorta the same as it used to be. Note quite cubed like the old ERR, but not far off the mark. Really, not too much different than SWR. Flavor-wise and room note-wise, LLRR is very much like SWR, but deeper and richer. This is much like the original ERR in this regard. Hell, it pretty much is the same old ERR whose loss I've long lamented. LLRR is not exactly the same as the fabled ERR, but it's awful damn close. Come payday, I'll be ordering another three tubs of it. Yezzir, it's that good. How good, you ask?

The flavor is a deep, but not overpowering, cocoa and molasses, with just a hint of anise. In keeping with traditional old school American Burley blends (and this is all burley, BTW), the flavor is not complex or nuanced. It's not a fussy smoke either, just dip your pipe into the tub or your tobacco pouch and scoop it up. Gently tamp, gently light, and float away on gloriously thick clouds of smoke and infuse your smoking space with the wonderful room note. It's pipe-like, or more accurately it is Gramp's pipe-like. It's easy to light, and keep buring; however, the only complaint that I have is that it's a quick burn. I don't remember the original burning this fast, and I suspect it's because the original ERR was very much a cube cut and this is not so much a strict cube cut.

If you've never tried an OTC codger burley before, then you owe it to yourself to give this one a go. Fine stuff, and once you smoke it you'll understand why Uncle Joe Stalin would always have his US-assigned diplomats bring him back as much as they could. I once read an article in which the author stated that ERR was Stalin's favorite pipe tobacco blend. I'm not sure if that's a true story, but I can see how it could be. Anyhow, give LLRR a try. If you like burley blends, I think you're gonna love this. And if you've never really been a burleyphile, this might just be the blend that turns you.

Deep (well, about as deep as you can expect from an all burley blend), rich, wonderful. This one of those blends that will take you back several decades in time to when pipe smoking was far more mainstream and the world wasn't quite so crazy. Try it in a DrG or a MM for the quintessential American pipe smoking experience.

I'm a big fan of these selected quality Burley's! A frequent all day smoke for me. The strength is mild maybe mild to medium. The Burley's offer their usual nutty, chocolate notes which are detectable under the molasses & cocoa topping. The topping actually mellows after the tub has been opened for a while. I feel fortunate to have never tried the original which seems to be a recipe for disappointment. Great in cobs, briars, meerschaums, big bowls, small bowls, wide bowls, and narrow bowls.

Lane Limited Ready Rubbed.

A lot of my mixture would be better suited to the label Cube. It's a fairly dark brown and of a good hydration.

It lights easily and gives a brilliant, high quality, Burley smoke. The Burley has a big nuttiness, but this doesn't take over. There's a natural chocolate/molasses flavour, too, and then there's the addition of sweet flavours. The natural and added flavours go hand in hand at creating a mouth watering smoke. The burn from it's consistent, independent, and produces a bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: very pleasant.

Four stars. Without a doubt:

Highly recommended.

The closest I came to the original ERR was when I came across an unopened tin at the 2013 CORP meet up in Richmond and passed up the chance, because the C&D table was calling to me. Now with that confession out of the way I must say that I really like LLRR. I've always had a tub of SWR on hand, but now that has been replaced by LLRR. This is a great burly and has more body than SWR and not as sweet. The Casing is there but done very lightly, a slight cocoa flavor. Outside of that it's just a smooth burly ride from start to finish. It does burn rather fast, I can get a good 45 minute smoke from a group 4 pipe. It's great no matter how you choose to enjoy it. Whether it's a cup of coffee or an adult beverage or somewhere in between. If you're a fan of the old codger blends you owe it to yourself to give LLRR a little love you won't regret it. Unfortunately LLRR only comes in 14oz tins which isn't a bad thing for me since I'm a huge fan of burly so a tin last me the better part of a month. I feel more folks are put off by the quantity. But most of the old OTC blends are better out of the tub IMHO. So here's what it comes down too for me. Burly Burly and more Burly. I remain your Brother in Smoke.

4/4 Stars

I regularly keep a pouch of carter hall or prince albert on hand. This is a step up from both. I was never lucky enough to smoke the original, so I can't say how authentic it is. But for an all day smoking otc burley, this is the best I've had. PG is present as doc'spipe said, but I found it fades pretty quick, and the top of my tin was already pretty free of it. Tasty and well done.

I smoked quite a bit of the original Edgeworth blend, but it's been so long now for an accurate comparison to Lane's new revival of this old classic. Now if we're talking drugstore burley blends, this one sits on the top end of the price scale and as far as I know it's only available in the 14oz can..........and thank God for that as I would've burned through a pouch within the first day. "Toasty" is the best word to describe Lane's RR both in the can or in the pipe, exceptionally smooth and divine toasted flavour dominates for me with hints of mincemeat and cocoa on the retrohale and the aroma is just exquisite with that of pure pipe. Lovely stuff really, like a new secretary or your younger brother's minimally dressed girlfriend that he brings home at Thanksgiving for the first time it will tempt you to giving it your undivided attention. Worth every penny and in this case worth the wait, if the powers that be see fit to re-release the flake sliced brother to this blend you would hear no objections from me. Four stars without a doubt, a must try for any retired edgeworth smokers or burley fanatics.